Advancing data visualisation

Developing new and innovative ways for data to be shared, accessed and disseminated is a core focus of the GCRO. Our maps of the month, vignettes, and State of the GCR websites for 2011 and 2013 are all instances of this focus. However, new and more advanced forms of visualisation will allow the GCRO to continue to capture the public imagination by presenting information in creative ways. Information disseminated in accessible and interesting formats has also proved successful with policy makers and governmental officials, and the GRCO continues to build on these successes.

Advancing Data Visualisation is a project that explores new options for visualising date when developing new datasets and interactive visualisations. For example in 2014 GCRO worked closely with the Wits School of Arts (WSOA) Digital Arts Department to develop combined interactive data visualisation projects for students. A selection of the visualisations produced by students, based on the Quality of Life III (2013/14) Survey data, were showcased at the QoL III launch. The selection can be viewed in the list below.

One of the key visualisation produced under this project has been ‘Gauteng as a village of 100 people’. In this interactive visualisatio, based on the Quality of Life IV (2015/16) Survey data, 100 figures move around the surface of a 'village', responding to the user's queries by assembling and re-assembling themselves into groups representing the numerical results of the survey.

Beyond the importance of sharing information in accessible and interesting ways, data visualisation has become a key area of urban research. Centres such as MIT’s Civic Data Design Lab and Columbia University’s Spatial Information Design Lab produce important visual outputs, but also regularly use data visualisation as an integral part of the research process. The seamless integration of story maps, interactive vignettes, photo essays, Quality of Life survey photos, videos, and GIS maps into research is the major outcome of this project.

Ouputs

GCRO outputs

WSOA Interactive data visualisations 2014

In 2014 the GCRO worked closely with the WSOA Digital Arts Department to develop a set of interactive data visualisations based on our Quality of Life III (2013/14) Survey. A selection of the best projects is included below. Please click on each to download the program.

Should the program not run, please ensure that you have a Java Runtime Environment installed available here.